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and getting that front to turn<br />
in and that’s where we really<br />
worked. That’s one of the<br />
reasons why we got the NSR<br />
moving in the right direction<br />
so quickly. I really got them<br />
to work about the flex (of the<br />
chassis) to make it turn better.<br />
Lastly, how was the<br />
experience of coming from<br />
the U.S. and jumping straight<br />
into the HRC/Japanese environment?<br />
The guy who helped me to<br />
make that transition was Erv<br />
(Kanemoto, who went on to<br />
become his crew chief in 250<br />
and 500 GPs). We started in<br />
‘78, and my dad helped me<br />
and talked to Erv. He said “my<br />
son’s pretty good, could you<br />
watch him? We hooked up ‘78,<br />
my dad stepped away in ’79.<br />
SPENCER ON MARQUEZ<br />
So Erv was acting as a filter<br />
between you and the<br />
Japanese mechanics…?<br />
Exactly. Then I sat with American<br />
Honda, got a couple of<br />
introductions and by 1980,<br />
when we started developing<br />
the three cylinder, I was ready<br />
to go. Even though I was only<br />
19 in 81. I turned 20 in December<br />
81 and Erv and I were<br />
ready (for their first season in<br />
500 GP Racing). HRC was just<br />
starting, all the engineers. It<br />
was such a great time!
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